Disclaimer: Ninja Turtles is not mine but Chloe is. Please do not sue and no flames.
Out of the Sewers for Good
Ten year old Chloe Calls was on her bed, relaxing in her room, while the turtles moved their belongings in the house. She was really looking forward to having the turtles live with her and her grandparents.
Chloe wondered how the turtles were holding up. Splinter had recently died of pneumonia and he was just buried at the farmhouse the previous day.
Just then, there was a knock. Chloe got off of her bed, went over to the door, opened it, and let Mikey in.
"Everything all right, Mikey?" Chloe asked with concern.
"No, it's not," Mikey said, his voice breaking. "I still can't believe that Master Splinter is dead. I feel like I'm in a bad dream. I keep expecting to see him and tell me that everything is fine."
Chloe and Mikey sat down on the bed and Chloe gathered Mikey in her arms. Mikey returned the gesture, buried his face in her shoulder, and broke down completely.
Chloe gently rubbed Mikey's shell. That was something she had seen Donny do whenever something upset Mikey. Just then, Donny appeared in the doorway and Chloe signaled for him to come in. Donny entered the room and sat on the bed next to Mikey.
"You finish unpacking?" Mikey asked Donny while releasing Chloe.
"I haven't started yet," Donny confessed.
"You OK?"
"Not really."
"You miss Splinter, right?"
"Right."
"You and Chloe did the best you could."
"I know. I really wish he had recovered but instead he got worse."
"How are Leo and Raph taking Splinter's death?"
"They haven't said much of anything since we got back from the funeral."
"They'll explode eventually."
"At least one of them will."
"I'm going to check on the cats," Chloe announced. Mikey and Donny nodded and Chloe left the room.
Donny headed over to the window and grabbed onto the windowsill taking deep breaths. Mikey walked over and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"It's not a good idea to bottle up your emotions," Mikey said.
"Chloe and I did everything we could but it still did no good," Donny said, his voice breaking.
Mikey wrapped his arms around Donny who returned the gesture and broke down completely. Mikey gently rubbed his brother's shell while saying over and over to let it all out. Mikey eventually managed to get his brother down to hiccups and then sniffles. A while later, the two of them released each other.
"Feel any better?" Mikey asked.
"Actually, I do," Donny replied.
"Let's go see how Raph and Leo are doing."
"OK."
Mikey and Donny left the room. Several minutes later, they found Raph in the new dojo pounding the punching bag with great force.
"Why don't I handle this?" Mikey suggested.
"I'll go see if Chloe needs help with the cats," Donny said.
Mikey nodded and Donny walked away. Mikey entered the dojo and carefully approached Raph who was really going at it with the punching bag.
"How're you doing, Raph?" Mikey asked.
"WE JUST LOST OUR SENSEI!" Raph screamed. "HOW DO YOU THINK I'M DOING?!"
"I'm guessing not good."
"WHY DID HE HAVE TO GIVE UP?! WHY COULDN'T HE LET DONNY AND CHLOE SAVE HIM?! THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD! YET, IT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH!"
Mikey put a hand on Raph's shoulder and his brother suddenly threw his arms around him and broke down completely. Mikey wrapped his arms around Raph gently rubbing his shell and saying over and over to let it all out.
Mikey managed to get his brother down to sniffles. Then the two of them released each other.
"Better now?" Mikey asked.
"Yep," Raph replied, turning his attention back to the punching bag.
Mikey left the dojo. He decided to go see how Leo was holding up.
Leo was in his new room unpacking some items. He came across the plaque that Splinter had given him and his brothers on their 16th birthday a couple years ago.
For My Sons
Throughout the years, I have watched you grow.
Each of you developing your own interests yet staying as one.
You have made me a proud father.
I love all of you.
Leo put the plaque on his bed. Just then, Mikey entered the room.
"How's everything going?" Mikey asked.
"I feel that everything's happening so fast," Leo said, his voice breaking. "I thought that Master Splinter would live for several more years. I knew that I would have to use my leadership skills on my own someday but I thought we would be at least 30 or older."
Mikey held out his arms and Leo fell into them and broke down completely. Mikey wrapped his arms around his brother and gently rubbed his shell while constantly saying to let it all out.
Mikey knew that Leo would take their sensei's death the hardest. The two of them were really close.
Mikey tightened his hold on his eldest brother's shaking body who fiercely returned the gesture and broke down completely again. Just then, Mikey and Leo felt two more pairs of arms go around them which belonged to Donny and Raph.
The turtles held each other for a very long time. When they released each other, all of their faces were soaked.
"You feel any better?" Mikey asked Leo.
"For now," Leo replied.
"Maybe we should sleep in the living room for tonight," Donny suggested.
"Good thinking," Raph said.
The turtles wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed tightly. Then they left the room.
Later that night, the turtles were preparing an air mattress. Just then, Chloe entered the room.
"I put a cheese pizza in the fridge in case you get hungry," Chloe said.
The turtles thanked Chloe and said that they would probably eat it tomorrow since they currently weren't hungry. Chloe told the turtles good night and left the room.
Several minutes later, the turtles were on the air mattress. Just then, Splinter's Ghost appeared.
"My sons, I want to let you know that I am safe and in a wonderful place," Splinter's Ghost said. "I have told all of you how proud I am of you. Take care of each other and continue to use your skills and ninja training. I love all of you."
Splinter's Ghost disappeared and the turtles felt peaceful. They snuggled up together and fell asleep.
The End